The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration defines distracted driving as “any activity that diverts attention from driving.” Driver distractions include but are not limited to any of the following:
- talking on the phone or to passengers in the car
- texting
- taking photos with a cell phone
- adjusting the stereo or other entertainment components
- configuring the navigation system
When you get behind the wheel of a car, you need to pay attention to the road using auditory, visual, and cognitive skills. There is also the manual component involved with operating a vehicle that requires just as much of your attention. Because safe driving requires complete focus, many states have declared bans on hand-held phones and other restrictions on cell phone usage for drivers to reduce road incidents.
Using a cell phone—in particular, texting while driving—is often compared to drunk driving. Texting on the road is even more dangerous than driving under the influence. Peop